Life-Course Theory and Incels: Masculinity Strain in the Transition to Adulthood

Incels are men who are members of an online community that experiences an unmet desire for sex and blame women for their struggle. Since 2019 there have been several violent mass murder attacks committed by Incels motivated by Incel ideology creating a threat of future violence. While the vast majority of Incels do not commit violent mass murder attacks, researchers have begun to study Incels to prevent future violence and uncover the true nature of the Incel community. Because the study of Incels is an emergent academic field, knowledge about Incels remains nascent with need for research about Incels as well as interventions to address the struggles of involuntary celibacy. In 2022, Stijelja and Mishara called for a life-course theory analysis of Incels. The author of this paper responds to that call and applies life-course theory to the Incel community placing emphasis on the masculinity strain experienced by Incels attempting to perform hegemonic masculinity as part of the transition to adulthood but falling short because of their lack of sexual activity. The implications of this work include a proposal for the creation and implementation of Incel-specific, online therapeutic interventions and continued research directly with the Incel community to uncover the complexities of the Incel experience.